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State energy pathway · Utah

Start with the energy systems shaping Utah.

In 2024, Utah's residential electricity prices ranked lowest in the nation, and that position is shifting as the state's generation mix changes. Students in Utah can trace how generation decisions at the state level affect what families pay for electricity—a question that becomes more concrete as coal capacity retires and solar expands. Utah has abundant coal and natural gas capacity alongside solar installations ranked #16 nationally for capacity—a mix that raises a practical question for grid operators: how do you keep power flowing reliably when your generation sources are so different in how they work?

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

See why energy matters hereJump to the matched course

Why Energy Matters in Utah

Legacy Fuel Production

Utah has a significant history of coal, oil, and natural gas production that still shapes employment, land use, and infrastructure. That legacy creates real stakes for how the state manages a transition, because the people and communities involved have concrete interests in the outcome. Students who understand that starting point learn why Utah's energy choices cannot be made without accounting for history.

Geothermal and Nuclear Development

Utah ranks third in the nation for geothermal electricity generation, behind only California and Nevada, and the state is now establishing a regulatory framework for expanded nuclear fuel recycling. These technologies are less common than coal or solar, but they represent the technical diversity students encounter in Utah's real grid.

Latimer Energy Academy helps students in Utah understand what shaped the state's 2024 residential electricity prices—the lowest in the nation—and how that cost position changes as the generation mix shifts. Through the microgrid project, students can build cost models and defend their design choices in a rate case debate, using real data to reason through the trade-offs between reliability, affordability, and emissions.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

Start here for Utah

The Microgrid: Optimization & Resilience

In 2024, Utah's residential electricity prices ranked lowest in the nation, and that position is changing as the state's generation mix shifts from coal toward solar. Students can investigate how that shift affects the cost models utilities use to set rates, using Utah's generation data to understand why pricing changes when the fuel mix changes.

Mission spotlight

What Does Power Cost?

Students can build a cost model for a microgrid, comparing coal, natural gas, and solar generation using Utah's actual price and supply data. Through this model, they can discover how utilities recover costs and how the shift from coal toward solar changes what Utahns pay for electricity. They can defend their design choices in a rate case debate, explaining the trade-offs between reliability, cost, and emissions using the numbers they modeled.

Included in LEA curriculum

Pilot proof

Students enjoy the work because it feels real.

In January 2026, 39 fourth-grade students in Indianapolis completed every lesson from start to finish — coding real pocket computers (microcontrollers), collecting live energy readings, and presenting findings to an audience.

4.6/5

Student enjoyment

72% of students gave it a 5-star rating

100%

Reported learning something new

Every student who took the survey said they learned something new

39

Students completed the entire course

Every student finished all five lessons, coded a pocket computer (microcontroller), and presented findings

Available to book today

Book the support that fits Utah.

Whether you want to get LEA into the hands of students this semester, plan for a pilot next year, or just learn more about the state-specific approach, you can book a session with our team to get the support you need.

School or district consultation

Review the state-specific entry point, pilot scope, and what implementation would look like for your classrooms.

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Founder-led instruction session

Bring Dr. Naeem Turner-Bandele in to teach a project and show what high-quality facilitation looks like with students.

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Family or community guidance

Get help choosing the right starting point for home learning, after-school use, or a community organization rollout.

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Utility or business partnership call

Discuss local workforce relevance, territory fit, and how we can collaborate to support energy education in your community.

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Find your path

Choose your next step based on how you want to use LEA in Utah.

Select your path below to see the approach designed for how you will use LEA in Utah — whether you run a classroom, lead a school, or support a student at home.

Find the right starting point

Schools

Curriculum and professional development for your district

Teachers

Lesson plans and resources for your classroom

Parents

Learn alongside your child with guided family activities

Community

Hands-on energy programs for clubs and community groups

Utilities

STEM outreach and workforce pipeline programs

Businesses

Partner with Latimer Energy Academy to build the energy and technology workforce